An airbrush couples to a pressurized air source and a media source, e.g., a liquid ink or paint media. The media intermixes with an air stream as it exits the airbrush in an atomized spray. Air brushes are versatile and popular tools in many fields. An airbrush may be modified in operation according to a variety of parameters to accomplish a variety of objectives. The amount of air pressure, amount of media introduced into the air stream, and the rate of movement for the airbrush in relation to the workpiece affect the resulting work, i.e., affect how the media appears as it comes to rest on the workpiece.
The atomized media spray follows a conic pattern as it emerges from the airbrush nozzle. This conic pattern naturally carries significant overspray, especially when using relatively high air pressure. Given this conic spray pattern and inherent overspray, the airbrush naturally lacks an ability to focus the media spray. As a result, airbrush work typically includes a given amount of overspray and "fuzzy" rendering. Fine lines and distinct edges typically can only be achieved by use of shielding, e.g., a template held between the airbrush and the workpiece to prevent overspray on the workpiece.
Fine line detail work, therefore, presents a challenge in airbrush design and use. Some airbrushes produce fine line detail. Unfortunately, the artist must move the airbrush quickly to preserve fine line detail as the media strikes the workpiece. If the artist does not move the airbrush quickly, fine line detail is lost in excess media buildup and overspray on the workpiece. Accordingly, only the most skilled airbrush artists can produce any meaningful fine line detail. Even such skilled artists, however, cannot make extensive and practical use of fine line detail due to the need to always move the airbrush rapidly. Because of such limitation, i.e., the requirement that the airbrush move at significant speed relative to the workpiece, fine line detail in airbrush work is generally not possible. Even with a limited ability to render fine line detail work by moving the airbrush at significant speed, conventional airbrushes have not and cannot allow elaborate or intricate fine line detail work.
A relatively expensive type of airbrush, i.e. the "turbine" model reciprocating needle by Paache AB, provides a degree of fine line detail work without requiring that the airbrush move rapidly. The cost, typically six to eight times that of an introductory-level conventional airbrush, makes this airbrush unavailable to most airbrush artists.
Accordingly, there remains need for an affordable airbrush capable of providing fine line detail but at significantly lower speeds. By allowing fine line detail at lower speeds, i.e., speed of the airbrush relative to the workpiece, a greater number of artists can make use of fine line detail in their work and a greater variety of airbrush work becomes possible at even greater detail than previously possible using conventional airbrush designs. The subject matter of the present invention provides a fine line detail rendering ability for a conventional or typical airbrush moving at relatively low speed in relation to the workpiece.